Kevin Schoenfeld

Marketing Representative at Lacas Coffee Company and Student at Temple University

What is your professional background?

Currently, I am a student at Temple University. I am a marketing major and management information systems minor with the intent to graduate this May. Professionally, I work as a marketing representative for Lacas Coffee and Insomnia Cookies. As part of my role as a marketing representative, I am responsible for the coordination and execution of promotional events. I also have previous work experience as a digital sales and social media intern at iHeartMedia and as a digital marketing consultant at Post Advisors, a Philadelphia-based marketing, and brand development consulting firm. Additionally, throughout my college career, I have been working as an on-air personality for the New Release Show, a new music centric radio show that airs Sunday nights from 8-9PM on Temple University’s online radio station WHIP.

You wear many hats: Marketing Representative at Lacas Coffee Company, Marketing Representative at Insomnia Cookies, On-Air Radio Personality and Social Media Coordinator at W.H.I.P. What’s your average day like?

My average day varies depending on the exact day of the week it is. I have a pretty set schedule in regards to school and work, which is nice. Thankfully my jobs are pretty flexible with scheduling, so I always ensure that I never overbook myself on any given day. I usually work in the morning, go to class during the afternoon, and spend my evening doing homework or some other work on the computer. Both of my jobs are part time, so I usually work two days each week at each job. In regards to my position at the radio station, I usually do the planning for my show during the weekend, after the new music drops for that week, which typically occurs on Friday’s. My preparation for my show includes downloading music, researching topics to discuss, writing up relevant articles, and scheduling social media posts for the next upcoming week.

How do you manage to balance your time?

Managing my time is one of my biggest challenges. I am able to accomplish all of my goals despite my busy schedule by staying organized and focused. I rely heavily on my school agenda, the calendar application on my phone, and the notes application to keep track of what I need to do and when I need to do it. I prioritize my time based on the importance of what needs to be done and how significant that work is in the scheme of everything. I also try to accomplish some work, especially for my radio show, in my down time such as while I’m on the train or waiting for an appointment. Moreover, using social media scheduling tools such as Hootsuite enable me to post content regularly for the radio station and my radio show without constantly having to stay connected.

Between your numerous roles, what have you managed to learn and leverage?

I have managed to learn many things between my numerous roles primarily time management, customer service, and crisis management. As I mentioned before staying organized is key to leveraging a harmonious work-life balance. Likewise, one other major lesson that I have learned during my college career is to expect the unexpected and be prepared always. When being live on the radio, there is absolutely no time for errors or mistakes; you must always have a backup plan in the case of technical issues. I always save my work on multiple platforms (flash drive, cloud computing, etc.) in order to avoid any potential issue.

What trends in social media do you foresee in the near future? What about the long term?

In the near future, I see Snapchat as continuing to be one of the largest social media platforms with untapped potential. It is astonishing to me how innovative the app has become in such a short period of time. The users on the platform are very loyal; almost every person I know under the age of 30 uses the app daily. Doing something as minor as including a geo filter at a business or an event could go a long way in terms of building brand awareness and generating buzz. While Snapchat may not be relevant for all types of businesses, those with a target market that includes millennials should definitely develop a regular presence on the platform.

In the long term, it is hard to determine exactly what will be the next big thing, since social media platforms come and go relatively quickly. I think live streaming will definitely become a significant social media feature in the years to come. Additionally, I think that popular location-based dating apps, such as Tinder, will provide greater potential for brands to create unique promotions to their specific target audience.

What books/blogs/materials about social media would you recommend?

I typically read HubSpot, Marketo, and Sysomos blogs to keep me informed on what trends are going on in the digital marketing industry. I also find some LinkedIn articles to be very enlightening. One of my favorite LinkedIn bloggers is Brynne Tillman, who regularly publishes articles on how to enhance one’s LinkedIn presence and how to leverage social media effectively.

What advice would you give to better engage with consumers?

As part of my role as a marketing representative at both companies, I have learned from experience some of the best practices of engaging with customers in order to truly make them interested in your product and promotions. I have found that customers will be way more responsive to your pitch when you speak to them on a personal level, almost as if you were a friend, not as a salesman. Digitally, responding to and engaging with people immediately on social media is also an effective way of having your customers develop a personal connection to your brand. To me it is almost exciting when large corporations respond to your tweets or posts that you mention them, it shows they truly care about their consumers.

Find Kevin Schoenfeld on LinkedIn. Tune in Sunday nights from 8-9PM to WHIP!